Knockdown corrugated paper board table

ABSTRACT

A knockdown table formed from die-cut and scored panels of corrugated paper board adapted to be shipped in flat condition and to be erected at the point of use into a table which has substantial stability and strength.

United States Patent Inventors I Arthur R. Slate, Jr.

Chicago; Michael F. Notko, North Riverside, lll. Appl. No. 814,035 Filed Apr. 7, 1969 Patented Mar. 2, 1971 Assignee Sears, Roebuck and Co. Chicago, Ill.

KNOCKDOWN CORRUGATED PAPER BOARD TABLE 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 108/157, 297/442, 108/ I57 Int. Cl. A47b 3/06 Field of Search 297/442;

S/SheetMatl: 108/11], 115, I50, 153, 157; 248/152, 174;2'l 1/72, 178 (Cursory) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1896 Stoddard 248/152 5/1928 Marsh 211/72 6/1935 Blake l08/l57X 9/ l 962 Clark, Jr 297/442 Primary ExaminerBobby R. Gay Assistant Examiner-Peter A. Aschenbrenner Att0rneysFrank H. Marks and Nathan N. Kraus ABSTRACT: A knockdown table formed from die-cut and scored panels of corrugated paper board adapted to be shipped in flat condition and to be erected at the point of use into a table which has substantial stability and strength.

PATENTEDMAR 2197: 3L566Q808 SHEET 1 OF 3 I Era! N VE N T025 Arih ur 18. 14736, r. Michael F/Vo i160 IIINGCKDOWN CORRUGATED PAPER BOA TABLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION generally L" formation, as illustrated in FIG. 2. It will be understood that the areas within the die-cut formations of the The present invention relates to knockdown tables which may be formed from die-cut and scored panels of corrugated paper board, shipped in flat condition and erected at the point of use to provide tables which have substantial stability and strength.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of an erected table, in accordance with our invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the components of the table comprising our invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, illustrating how the table top is attached to the base portion.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the assembled base portion, with the table top removed.

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the table top.

FIG. 6 is an elevational view, on an enlarged scale, of a detail.

FIG. 7 and 8 are top plan views of the blanks which form the base portion of the table.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified embodiment showing the table top and base portion in exploded relation.

FIG. It) is a top perspective view of the table top illustrated in FIG. 9.

FIG. I1 is a fragmentary crosssectional view, on an enlargedscale, illustrating the manner in which the table top of the modified embodiment is assembled to the base portion.

FIG. 12 is a transverse cross-sectional view through the base portion of the modified embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring particularly to FIGS. I through 8, the numeral 15 indicates generally a table top which may be circular or of any other suitable shape and which is formed of stacked multiple plies or laminae of corrugated paper board. In the present instance, the table top comprises a core formed of two pairs of plies of corrugated board 16 and 17, with the flutes of one pair being parallel and extending in a direction at right angles to the flutes of the other pair. The core is surmounted by a cover ply i8 also formed of corrugated board, the top surface of which is wood grained for decorative purposes. A bottom ply W of corrugated board is disposed underneath the core and this ply is suitably scored and die-cut to provide a series of dart tabs Zll which will hereinafter be described. Preferably, the flutes of the plies 118 and 19 extend in directions at right angles to the flutes of the adjacent core plies. The plies are all glued together to provide a flat rigid table top capable of supporting a substantial amount of weight.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5, the dart tabs 21 are die-cut from the lowermost ply 29, as indicated by the solid lines in FIG. 5 to provide a pair of opposed shoulders 22 and are scored along the broken linesfor bending purposes. It will be seen that each of the dart tabs 21 may be engaged, as with a finger inserted in the die-cut area 23 at the end of each dart tab, and pulled outwardly from its original fiat position and bent to assume a dart tabs are free of adhesive so that the tabs may be opened outwardly along a hinge line 24.

The base, indicated generally by the numeral 26, comprises a pair of cooperating corrugated board members 27 and 28 which are adapted to be interengaged, as will be hereinafter explained, to form a four-pointed star formation, illustrated in FIG. 4. The blanks forming the cooperating base members 27 and 28 are shown in FIG. 7 and 8 and, it will be noted, except for slotting, that the blanks are substantially identical. Each of the blanks includes, a pair of dart tabs 29 and 31 integral with the one-side edge of the blank. Said tabs are adapted to be passed through a pair of aligned slits 32 and 33 spaced from an opposite edge of the blank, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 7 ar id 8, it will be seen that the blank 28 is provided with open ended slits 34 extending upwardly from the bottom edge of the blank, substantially to a point midway of the height of the blank, while in the blank 27 corresponding slots 36 extend downwardly from the top edge of the blank to substantially a corresponding midway point. Each of the blanks is provided with a pair of slits 30 near the top edge thereof.

It will be understood that the two blanks 27 and 28 and the table top 15 are intended to be shipped in flat condition and that these components are intended to be erected and assembled at the point of use. In assembly, the blanks 27 and 28 are folded along the scored lines 38 and 39 respectively, and the tabs 29 and 31 inserted in respective slits 32 and 33, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. Each base member 27 and 28 thus assumes a generally diamond formation in cross section. The members 27 and 28 then are interengaged, substantially as illustrated in FIG. 2 and 4, such that in assembled relation said base members assume a four-pointed star formation in cross section. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the interlocked joints of each of the members 27 and 28 is received interiorly of the cooperating member so that the joints 4i and 42 are concealed from view and a finished appearance is presented.

The table top 15 is assembled to the base members 28 and 27 by opening up the dart tabs 21 in the bottom of the table top and inserting the ends thereof in respective slits 30 in the base members, in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

When assembled as above described the parts form a sturdy rigid table which will support substantial weight. We have found that when properly assembled the table will support a weight of at least lbs. without collapse.

In the modified embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 9 through 12, the table top 51 is formed of substantially the same number of plies of corrugated board, as in the first described embodiment, but in this form the table top is provided with four pairs of parallel slots 52 extending through the full depth of the top, with the portions of the topmost ply 53 between the parallel slits being cut away, in the manner illustrated in FIG. II, to provide clearance for receiving the tabs 58, hereinafter to be described.

The base members 56 and 57 are formed substantially like those of the first described embodiment. However, in this instance, the slits 30 at the upper ends of the base members are eliminated and instead tabs 58 are provided integral with the upper edges of the base members, as illustrated in FIG. 9. Said tabs are suitably scored so that they may be folded and inserted in the slits 52 of the table top, in the manner illustrated in FIG. II. It will be noted that each of the tabs 58 comprises only a single ply of corrugated board and when folded in position substantially fills in the space between a pair of slits 52 so as to provide continuity of surface in the table top.

Referring to FIG. 12, it will be seen that the modified embodiment shows the base members 56 and 87 erected with overlapping end edges fastened together as with staples 61. It will be understood that our invention contemplates either the use of tabs inserted in cooperating receiving slits or stapled overlapping edges in either of the embodiments herein described.

Various changes coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the arts; hence, we do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments shown and described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of our invention being limited only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A corrugated cardboard table comprising a pair of base members, each formed of a blank folded to assume a generally parallelogram formation in transverse cross section, said members being interengaged with each other to form in transverse cross section a generally four-pointed star configuration and a top member supported on the upper edges of said base members.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the blanks have slots extending inwardly from opposite interengaged edges.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means for securing said top member to said base member.

4. Theinvention as defined in claim 3 in which said means includes slots in said base member and tabs connected to said top member.

5. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which said means includes slots in said top member and tabs connected to said base member.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which each base member comprises a die-cut and scored corrugated cardboard blank folded to assume a generally parallelogram formation in transverse cross section, said base members being interengaged endwise to form in transverse cross section a generally four-pointed star configuration.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the blank of each base member after folding is secured along adjacent cooperating edges.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 in which the top member is formed of a plurality ,of corrugated cardboard laminations with the portions between the slots in the topmost lamination being cut away to accommodate the tabs of said base member. 

1. A corrugated cardboard table comprising a pair of base members, each formed of a blank folded to assume a generally parallelogram formation in transverse cross section, said members being interengaged with each other to form in transverse cross section a generally four-pointed star configuration and a top member supported on the upper edges of said base members.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the blanks have slots extending inwardly from opposite interengaged edges.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means for securing said top member to said base member.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which said means includes slots in said base member and tabs connected to said top member.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 3 in which said means includes slots in said top member and tabs connected to said base member.
 6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which each base member comprises a die-cut and scored corrugated cardboard blank folded to assume a generally parallelogram formation in transverse cross section, said base members being interengaged endwise to form in transverse cross section a generally four-pointed star configuration.
 7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which the blank of each base member after folding is secured along adjacent cooperating edges.
 8. The invention as defined in claim 7 in which the top member is formed of a plurality of corrugated cardboard laminations with the portions between the slots in the topmost lamination being cut away to accommodate the tabs of said base member. 